This application discloses subject matter related to the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,376 entitled Oil Slick Removing Vessel and issued to Larry D. Price, the inventor of the invention disclosed herein.
The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,376 provides a vessel which is especially equipped with means for removing oil and debris from the surface of the water. One embodiment of that invention comprises a barge having a relatively broad square bow portion, and a relatively flat hull. A holding chamber is positioned in the center portion of the vessel.
A pipe for carrying water is mounted in a horizontal position along the bow, and the pipe includes a series of slits or holes for permitting water under pressure to flow outwardly. The pipe is adjusted to be positioned below the surface of the water. A baffle plate is hingedly mounted in a horizontal position along bow and is pivotably movable about a horizontal axis. The water under pressure is forced out of the holes to create a wave or ripple which is forced over the top of baffle plate. The size of the wave depends on, the pressure created by pump, the size of apertures and the depth that pipe is under the surface of the body of water. The wave is adjusted to be sufficiently high such that a sheet of water carrying oil or debris goes over the top of the baffle plate.
When the vessel is propelled forward, the wave of water goes over the top of the baffle plate into the holding chamber. As the sheet of water and oil moves over the baffle plate, the mass of oil on the surface of water is caused to move smoothly over the top of the baffle plate onto the holding chamber. The oil can then be removed from the holding chamber by any one of various known methods.